50 Bookish Things to Do Before I Die – a book bucket list

March 26, 2014

What does your inner bookworm dream of? A home library like Belle from Disney’s Beauty and the Beast? Traveling to literary locations or author’s homes? Attending Book Expo of America? Writing a book of your own?

There are so many “bookish things” I’d like to do that I’m giving you my book bucket list…and I want to hear what is on yours too! I love encouraging people to read, whether you read to escape reality, you read to learn and grow or you read to your kids, I just hope you create your own book bucket list and pursue those bookish dreams!

Allison at The Book Wheel and Rebecca at Love at First Book are hosting a challenge and linkup to take our love of reading outside the pages of a book. I’ve been meaning to compile my list of bookish things I’d like to accomplish, a book bucket list, and there’s no time like the present! Some of my ideas I snagged from my gracious hosts and from perusing other participants lists and some I’ve had in mind for a long time now, feels good to get them off my chest. What’s on your book bucket list?

Check out my book bucket list, a free printable I created so you can create your own book bucket list and some fun ideas to help you along.

We doubled in size by reading the Harry Potter series and inviting our kids to discuss the books with us. 🙂

6. Start an online book club with these helpful tips – Travel the World in Books monthly readalongs/group reads 7. Write a children’s book for my oldest son (it’s drafted but my Superhubby illustrator needs to finish pictures). 8. Write a children’s book for my middle son. 9. Write a children’s book for my youngest son. 10. Get blog business cards or bookmarks. 11. Attend a book blogging conference. 12. Host a reading challenge/blogging event. – done, I co-host Travel the World in Books Reading Challenge and Readathons! 13. Write an e-book. 14. Narrate an audiobook (I’ve lent my voice to one iPod preschool learning app my Superhubby and a friend developed but it’d be fun to do more). 15. Interview 10 authors for my blog. – Done! I’ve hosted 13 author interviews and guest posts so far. 16. Donate books to a Free Library. 17. Volunteer to read at kids’ school or a local Reach Out and Read program. – Done! I hosted a book club for my middle son’s class and even took Batman along! 18. Take my kids to volunteer to read to other kids. 19. Get involved with Pratham USA, a volunteer organization to promote literacy and education in India 20. Get involved with a local literary organization like the Women’s National Book Association (WNBA) 21. Do 10 children’s book inspired crafts/activities with my kids. 22. Meet other book bloggers IRL. – met Becca from I’m Lost in Books and Donna from On D Bookshelf 23. Sign up for Post Crossing. 24. Get an international pen pal for each of my kids and help them write to them. Do schools still do this? I used to love having them growing up. 25. Volunteer at the library. 26. Write thank you notes to authors who made a big impact on me. 27. Dress in costume(?) and visit The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Orlando with the family. 28. Visit 5 book/author inspired locations. 29. Make postcards for the blog for PostCrossing 30. Get 1,000 Likes on Facebook – Done!

31. Get 1,000 followers on the blog

Done! – You can join the nearly 2,000 other subscribers here and get access to my Exclusive Printables Library for Subscribers with bookish surprises and planners,
printables and tips to help you achieve your dream life!

32. Get 1,000 Google + followers.-Done! 33. Have a review posted/published by a national publication/website 34. Meet authors IRL.

Brad Meltzer, a great author signing event, he writes thrillers for me, comic books/graphic novels for Superhubby and the Ordinary Heroes Change the World series for my kids. An author we all loved meeting and my youngest son’s illustration of Brad got my baby his first 15 minutes of fame on Twitter.

35. Get 10 autographed books – Done! I have lots now, you could say I collect them. 36. Host a book swap party. 37. Host a children’s book drive to donate books to Reach Out and Read or similar youth literacy organization. 38. Guest post for 5 other blogs. 39. Start a feature for other book bloggers to guest post on my blog. – Done, many of the guests for my weekly Be Our Guest Fridays feature is book bloggers and authors. 40. Start a bookish meme. – Done!

I hosted Small Victories Sunday weekly linkup for several years. It was not exclusively for book bloggers, but bookish posts were most welcome!

41. Send/receive 100+ Post Crossing cards. 42. Visit NYC Public Library. 43. Have a photographer follow me around the world taking pics of me reading at famous locations (from Alysia at Little Pocketbooks but I thought it was cute!) 44. Read all the books we already own.

Whew, there you have it, the 51 bookish things I’d like to accomplish during my lifetime.

What’s on your list? Don’t forget, whether it’s 10 or 50 things, share your lists with our hosts Allison and Rebecca! There are some great ideas out there and ways to share our love of reading!

Updated: May 19, 2016

Free Book Bucket List Printable

Subscribe now to my newsletter and get the book bucket list delivered straight to your inbox. PLUS you get access to the Exclusive Printables Library for Subscribers which includes bookish surprises and planners and printables to help you achieve your personal, professional and bookish goals!

Whether you want to Travel the World in Books, catch up with the classics, visit literary destinations or meet authors in real life, make time to read and create your own Book Bucket List and achieve those reading goals!

Great list! I have been working on getting back into reading after adding kids to the mix. It’s a lot tougher to find that time 🙂 — When younger I would sometimes sit down and read a book cover to cover in one evening — I hate to stop in the middle of the story. Sadly, that doesn’t work with kids. Now… my best success has been reading a paragraph at a time — with a sticky note. hah.

Tanya, I don’t have any library around here. The ENglish books are very expensive here and I couldn’t purchase any kindle e-book. However, My fate has just changed last week that I finally could get access to the amazon kindle store. Can you feel how happy I have been. I can get inspiration for your list so that I pin it twice. LOL. Thank you for sharing.

I love your goal of writing a book specifically for each of your children! And I’m very intrigued by the idea of “around the world in 80 books” –I think you would definitely learn a LOT through that challenge!

It has been great, I figure I can travel and learn through books to places I wouldn’t otherwise get to. I have read 18 books towards it but 5 of them were in India so only visited 13 countries. I do have to read Reading Lolita in Tehran with The Book Wheel/love at first book’s book club. Hopefully that will get me out of India and on to another country. Do you have any recommendations for books you have enjoyed set in other countries?

HI Tanya! Wonderful list! I’m working with VolunteenNation regarding gathering donations of Children’s books (Up to YA age). I was wondering if you’d be interested in giving a shout out to them on your blog? 🙂 If you’re interested send me an e-mail. 🙂 Visiting from #Sitssharefest

Thanks Savvy, I did snag some from other lists I visited too. I hope you create one and link up. I would love to read it and cheer you on. I was supposed to sign up for The Nonfiction Adventure’s nonfiction reading challenge to read 50 nonfiction in 5 years but I still haven’t. I am reading it though 🙂

Oh I hope you do make a list and link it up. You could always write to publish a book and soon, you can cross it off! 🙂
I love that making the list inspires me and others to pass on our love of reading!

I’m interested in #11. I never knew there were book blog conferences. I’ve started a new book review blog and I’d love to go to one of these. Could you tell me names of any of the conferences so I could look them up?

What a great list…and a great idea! Your posts are always so interesting and creative – looks like you get some good ideas from visiting other blogs – I never have enough time to visit as many blogs as I;d like – I barely have enough time to stop by my favorites once a week!

I have also been thinking about printing book blog cards…bookmarks are an even better idea! And I also would love to volunteer to read to kids and get my own kids involved, too.

I am going to look at the post on an online book group. I started one recently for my family (far-flung aunts and cousins), and it is great but I’m having trouble keeping the conversations going online – much tougher than face to face.

Hi Sue, my favorite bloggers certainly do inspire me to try new things and get creative with my blog and reading in general. I love the blog bookmarks but want to settle on a design.

I am closer to starting an online book club, hopefully in November. I haven’t read the Harry Potter series yet and I am hoping some readers will want to read along with me. Wish me luck! It’s funny you say face to face book club conversations are harder. I find that our in person book club sometimes it’s harder to get past the general feeling of the book. I have discussion questions usually but then don’t want to feel like an English teacher in bringing them up and others don’t seem to really want to get that into a book. It’s still a whole heap of fun hanging out with the ladies and we talk about life in general, it’s a great time and I’m lucky to have a girls night out! It seems to me that book bloggers anyway can really stir up great conversations about books and things I’d never think to discuss 🙂

Anyway thanks as always for stopping by! Always enjoy talking with you Sue.

Thanks Leah! I do have to include some that are easy to accomplish so I don’t get overwhelmed by my own expectations. I appreciate your visit, what sorts of books to you like to read for yourself or with your kids? Hope you are enjoying a a beautiful weekend!

Thanks Tracie, I love the Around the World challenge too and reading about different cultures. I wish I could visit them in person but I will just have to make the voyage through books! What are your favorite books or genres to read? Thanks for stopping by and hope to hear from you again soon!

Can I just say – I loved reading this! And yes, I did read through all 50. I loved them, each one of them. What great goals & I truly hope that you reach them all in their time frame. Some I want for myself 🙂 now that you have given me the inspiration, so thank you!
Have a great Saturday!
Joanne

thanks so much Joanne, I’m so happy to have inspired you to try some of these out yourself! I love to share my joy of reading abduction hopen you will visit again soon to see his I am doing with my goals and to discuss good books that you’ve enjoyed! i am always looking for recommendations.

What kind of books do you like to read Roshni? Well when I start my online book club, I hope you will join me! 🙂 I recently read Monsoon Memories by Renita D’Silva and loved it. If you like dramatic, contemporary fiction, you might like it.

We have a small book club but it’s a fun chance to get together with some friends. We talk a little bit about the book and more about life in general but it’s something I look forward to.

Your blog title intrigued me so I had to read it for myself. I had never seen this link up or list before and I think you have a great one. I adore books and have been writing for over 25 years. I’ve been a published author since 2000. It’s so gratifying to see others who want to pursue their writing dreams. I hope you achieve all of them. Followed you from SITS. Have a blessed day!

It was a great idea Rebecca and Allison had to encourage us to create our bookish bucket lists. I hope you link up or let me know some of the things you would have on your list. thanks for visiting again Vicki!

Wow you have some amazing goals! Makes me feel like I’m slacking 😉 I love books, just love them. I never thought of sending a thank you note to the author though. What a neat idea. And I miss being part of a book club.

There are plenty of online book clubs to join! I like the ones at love at first book and The Book Wheelwho hosts one every other month and Mommy Miracles. I still hope to start one, especially when I start reading Pillars of the Earth or the Harry Potter series and get people to join me in my endeavor.

I encourage you to make a shorter bookish bucket list and link it up. What sorts of books do you like to read? What are your favorites? Thanks for stopping by Stephanie and hope to hear from you again soon to talk good books.

I’m a sucker for post-apocalyptic scifi and fantasy. Those are my super favs. I’m anxiously awaiting the next in the Pure trilogy which isn’t out until February. I loved the Harry Potter series and greatly enjoyed The Hunger Games too. I have a lot of books on my wish list at the moment. I’m starting to get a little more into inspirational non-fiction and have enjoyed making a list of those books as well.

Hmm…post apocalyptic sci fi and fantasy, please give me an example or your favorite. Can’t say I have read any. Do you mean The Pure trilogy by Juliana Baggott? I had to look it up on Goodreads and put it on my to-read list. Have you read the Divergent series, I like it as much if not more than Hunger Games.

I am reading Mockingjay this week, coincidentally in keeping with Banned Book Week. I am hoping to start Harry Potter series soon, my son has read them all and I really want to!

Hope you stop by again and check out my reviews, let me know what you think about the books I’ve read and written about.

Well, The Hunger Games trilogy is one of my favs and yes, The Pure Trilogy by Juliana Baggott. I enjoyed The Road by Cormac McCarthy and the book version of World War Z. The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss is a wonderful magic fantasy series. I also love The Obsidian Trilogy by Mercedes Lackey. And The Stand by Stephen King is one of my all time favorite books 🙂 I have never heard of the Divergent series, I will go look it up! I just recently read about The Bone Season and it is supposed to be very good but I’ve not yet read it. I look forward to your reviews!

Thanks for the book recommendations. I have yet to read Stephen King but one of my book club members mentioned The Stand was her favorite as well. I will have to give it a try, I need to read one soon. I love reading things outside my usual and exploring new genres. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed Hunger Games and the Divergent series. The third book in the Divergent series, Allegiant, is coming out in October and the Divergent movie is supposed to be coming out soon too.

What I like about Stephen King is the diversity of genres he covers. There’s pure horror like Cujo or Christine, more magical stuff like The Stand, It, The Green Mile or the Dark Tower series, the medieval book Eyes of the Dragon, and then powerful regular stories like Shawshank Redemption and Stand By Me. Even his short stories are absolutely fascinating. I’ve never known another author to do that.

I’ve gotta agree, I didn’t even know till this past year the non-horror genres he covers. I tried to read Misery and to watch The Shining but couldn’t get through them because I am a big chicken. Thankfully, he has other books that will keep me busy. He’s obviously quite a talented storyteller. I would like to read his books On Writing, 11/22/63, Under the Dome and now with your help, The Stand. It looks like I need to join a Stephen King reading challenge next year to give me some extra motivation to get them done. Thanks for your feedback Stephanie, I always enjoy talking about good books!

I love classics, especially Jane Austen’s. I like some series like Harry Potter which I have finished twice English version and once Indonesian version for all books, Twilight Saga which I have finished twice English version and three times Indonesian version, The Chronicles of Narnia in Indonesian version. It has been quite a long time I haven’t read the fiction books as I spend reading non fiction ones lately. Some of them are about fitness, homeschooling, bible, parenting, and blogging.
I think I would try to explore your bookish things to give me more spirit in reading. LOL…

Wow, i am impressed by how many series you have re-read! I haven’t read any of those series even once through yet in English. I have been enjoying non-fiction a lot too lately, they are great to listen to on audiobook to help keep me motivated while I am driving or doing housework.

Well hope you visit again soon Adelien and let me know what you think about the books I read and write about. I am trying to start the Harry Potter series soon, I hope my IRL book club wants to start it with me. I tried reading Twilight but I could not get into it. Have you read the Sookie Stackhouse series? What is your favorite Austen novel? Mine is Persuasion.

Thanks Kim, I snuck #51 in there about an hour ago after reading with my son for school. I figure I may not get to read 1,000 books for myself but I will read 1,000 kids books in my lifetime. We love to snuggle and read and thankfully my older two love to read. I’m still working on winning the youngest over. 🙂

Thank you for the shout out. 🙂 We can totally go half on the photographer. LOL! I Love Love your list! I am thinking of hosting a reading challenge next year and I would love to have other bloggers help and host one month of the challenge.

You’re welcome Alysia! I would love to help out with the challenge if you’re interested. I’d like to host a reading challenge or read-a-thon as well. It’s great to talk about these goals with others and get feedback and support to light the fire under me to keep at it 🙂

That’s a great list. I thought so many times as I was reading your list, “That would be on my list!” Now we have enough books for a library between my husband and me, so we’ll never read them all–in fact, we’re trying to sell some on ebay!

That’s great you have so many books, I wish I could have a dedicated library/reading room. One day…. What kind of books do you like to read? Ahh, you just made me realize I should have clarified, my husband has 100’s of comic books, I wasn’t counting those individual ones but I will read the graphic novels he has. Thanks for stopping by Tammy!

Thanks Amanda! We wrote the first one when my oldest was in diapers and now he’s in middle school. My husband is a fantastic artist and I am excited to finish it! Then the question is what to write for the other two. 🙂

For #10 I used Print Runner and was really happy with what they did. Are you going to go to BEA next year? I really want to. That’s awesome that you got to do the voice for an app. I think it would be fun to do an audiobook too! Thanks for checking out my bucket list.

Have you entered the giveaway on nose graze (www.nosegraze.com) for the blogger to wordpress migration? I remember seeing that on your bucket list, why not try to win it? 🙂 I love Ashley’s blog, she has really useful blogging and blog design tips and I bought the ultimate book blogger plugin for wordpress. Forgot to mention it when I stopped by.

Thanks for the print runner recommendation. Guess I need to settle on a blog design before I get the cards/bookmarks printed. Thanks for returning the visit and good luck with accomplishing your list!

Thanks Ashley, well the intent was to just write them for the kids, not to publish them but hmmm….

How long would it take you to read 1,001 books? I am trying for 52 this year and that would take me a couple lifetimes to read 1,001! 🙂 I am curious to see how many I’ve already read, maybe that will give me a good head start.

Love this! I would have a lot of the same ones, but I’m sure I could come up with at least 50, if not more! I want to visit all the bookstores and libraries around the country. The whole world would be nice, but that’s dreaming REALLY big. 😉

I thought about putting library hopping on my list too as we seem to end up in one when we travel with kids. I could get lost for hours in my little library alone. i hope you make a list Candace, I would love to see what else you come up with!! I loved this idea too to get us thinking outside of our traditional books and blogs.

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